Santa Fe Water Division

Local water conservation ordinance regulating indoor and outdoor use combined with financial incentives.

Project At a Glance

Utility Overview

Utility: Santa Fe Water Division

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Population served: 80,000

Service area: 37 square miles

Challenges

Declining water availability and reliability

Anticipated rapid population growth

Climate change

Solution

Diversified water conservation and efficiency programs, projects, and regulations that promote decentralized infrastructure.

Costs and Funding Sources

Total conservation program budget: ~$223,300

Levee fund. The levee fund is a conservation fee collected from utility customers each billing cycle. These funds become part of the Division’s operating budget.

Conservation Fund. The conservation fund is fueled by an annual fee and can be used on any of the Division’s various conservations program. Any unused funds from this annual fee roll over into the next year.

Benefits

Increases water supply reliability and availability

Reduces individual residential and commercial customer water and sewer bills

Reduces peak summer water demands

Reduces short and long-term system costs

Reduces energy consumption associated with water production, treatment, and distribution

Reduced per capita utility customer demand by 42% since 1995

Gallons per capita per day (GPCD) reduced from 163 in 1995 to 90 in 2017